Work in Progress

I've put aside the rest of the Austrians for now and make a start on the Prussians. I have enough of the Hat 1806 sets to keep me occupied for a while and have made a start with the Grenadiers. Information on the uniforms for this period is not that easy to find but I have enough to use the colours I want. Post Jena- Auerstedt is much easier to find.The figures are in a very soft plastic so after the first two figures I decided to leave any mould lines as removing them was tending to look worse than the lines did. Luckily the rest of the sprues were well mouded and as clean as I have seen.

I doubt that I'll use every figure as there's an abundance of Officers although the spares , if there are any after the Elites, Musketeers and Fuseliers, look like they'll fit into an Austrian uniform quite nicely.

For those concerned about his welfare, the Revell zombie is just out of shot on the right.

The Regiments have not yet been chosen so I don't know as yet the type of cuff or the facing colours.I'll probably just choose two regiments to make up a Grenadier Battalion

The trouser colour will change a little after the washes. The colour of the tent pegs was one I didn't expect to have to take.

" Sorry lads, we're not going to give you any greatcoats but every five or six of you can share a tent. That of coarse means that each of you will have to carry a tent axe and a number of tent pegs strapped to your back"

A wise choice FredG leaving those mold lines. I tried to melt it away on some of mine years ago only to find i`d replaced one line,but ended up with two. Those Prussians are really striding it out on that set of figures. I like that pose as i do the French infantry HAT produced years ago. Nice to see your work in progress again. BB

Regimental facings have been applied. They still require a little touching up here and there but at least we have them started. I was slowed down a little when I realised I'd applied the cuffs back to front so they had to be overpainted and corrected.I've chosen IR Nr.4 Kalckreuth and IR Nr.54 Natzmer as these two would make up the Grenadier Battalion under Oberstlieutenant von Vieregg (IR Nr. 54) ( He may well appear at a later date)

IR4 Kalckreuth

IR54 Natzmer

Still a lot to do with straps, buttons, washes etc.

I was disappointed with the muskets. There's little detail to be found but they shoul;d be OK en masse.

IR46 are drying off their bottoms , errrr bases in the flock so more preparation.

Here's the firing line ready for priming.

I'm now left with a few spares. 4 officers, 7 NCOs and 8 pipers ( fifers).

Why there are so many NCO's in a pose you can only use with stationary troops is an odd one.

The pipers were one to a regiment ( two to a Grenadier Battalion) so they'll make a colourfull show when combined with the drummers from the Elites set ( the same soft plastic as the Grenadiers) to give the massed fifes and drums. At least the sleeve chevrons are very well defined on the fifers, that will help greatly, although MrsG may need to wear some ear protection when I get round to them.

The firing line is now complete. It consists of IR10 Wedel and IR41 Lettow which formed the Grenadier Battalion under Major von Borstel (IR10)Such a pity thet this soft plastic prevented me from trimming the spare plastic from the figures loading, they could have looked so much better individually. This Grenadier set is very much like the Curate's egg. There are some very good parts and some " not so good". As a whole they do make a positive impression.

Here they are in the flocking tray.

There are also a couple of NCOs and five Grenadier Officers one each from the regiments so far.

Next up from this set are the Fifers.

These look pretty clean not a lot to do to these except paint them. Which, looking at these uniforms, may take quite a while as they are quite intricate.

According to my references each Grenadier regiment only had one fifer so these will have to represent eight regiments. (Unless you know differently, in which case, say so now or forever hold your peace)